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Topic Review (Newest First)

12-31-2011 10:05 AM

73 smogfree

first response

Yours is the first response I have recieved on the few threads I got in on. I'm glad your 187 is up to par .. totally understandable you dont want a bigger industrial sized machine in your garage/shop.. I have a friend up in Oregon with a weld shop named Offenbacher Ironworks. I wonder if you are near each other. I plan to take a trip with my motorhome to his place and stay for a spell in the coming year.. Maybe we'll find a reason to bump heads as well

12-30-2011 04:42 PM

RatPin

I've got the handler187 and love it. It does everything I have asked of it with no problems. I like it much more than the big Lincolns we have at work.

12-25-2011 05:31 PM

73 smogfree

220 Is A Must

Clearly you are on the right track .. 220 will get you welding 1/4" mild steel with no problem.. I did it with flux-core but would expect a much better result from a gas shield__as far as stainless or aluminum I don't want to lie to you.. if you happen to have the need to weld something thicker then don't be afraid to preheat with your little torche to get you into those thicker pieces.. a few ?s to the right guy and some temp sticks from your local weld supply will let you cheat in that manner..If your unsure practice on some scrap to get the feel.. Good luck and happy welding .. remember asking ?s is alot cheaper then buying the wrong stuff..NOW GO GET BUSY..BUILD

12-24-2011 07:53 PM

g&s restorod

miller

I jujt bought a miller 280 amp 220v for 385.00 new. It came with the regulator also and will weld 3/8 plate really good with #3o wire. I have turned it down and welded patch plates 18 ga with no problems. I welded on high building a frame for 2 1/2 hours and it did not shut down on heat like my old 200amp did. I put stainless wire in it an after some practice and straight argon gas the welds almost looked tiged. bought it on ebay Cheapweldertools It took a week to get. only down side it needs a 50 amp breaker...I hooked mine to the stove....no cooking and welding at the same time!!!!!!!

12-22-2011 10:21 AM

K72Nova

I actually really do like the HF auto dark helmet it just doesnt fit my head right. I figured I'd try the lincoln helmet and if it doesn't fit either then I will probably sell it and maybe modify the HF helmet to make it fit. I was suprised at how well it worked when I bought it, you can't beat it for that price!

12-22-2011 08:33 AM

matts37chev

Quote:

Originally Posted by K72Nova

Well I took everyone's advice and went down to the welding supplier and after a bit of talking with them and them offering me good deals I ended up with the Lincoln powermig 180 duel. They got me into it for the same price as the Hobart and I'll also be getting a pretty cool rebate from Lincoln that includes an auto darkening helmet, welding jacket, welding gloves, du rag, metal working gloves, safety glasses, and a duffle bag to throw it all in. I already have most of that already but it was all from harbor freight so I will have some stuff that is a bit nicer now. They also got me into a 125 bottle for $190 filled which is about $100 less than other places I had called. I really appreciate everyone�s advice on this, now I just need to go pick up some more scrap metal to get some more practice in. Thanks everyone!

sounds like you got a good deal
and nothing beats a new toy for christmas

if that lincoln machine was around when i bought my miller211, I would have looked at it pretty hard
the guys at airgas were telling me that the shipping weights on the millers is going down and the shipping weights on the lincolns is going up
that means the amount of steel (quality,heavy duty, and well built) is changing on the two, in opposite directions

dont be surprised if you find, you like that H.F. auto darken helmet better than the more expensive one
I have a $39 H.F. and $200 speedglass, and just out of denial, it took me about a year to finally admit that I like the H.F. better

12-22-2011 07:28 AM

K72Nova

Well I took everyone's advice and went down to the welding supplier and after a bit of talking with them and them offering me good deals I ended up with the Lincoln powermig 180 duel. They got me into it for the same price as the Hobart and I'll also be getting a pretty cool rebate from Lincoln that includes an auto darkening helmet, welding jacket, welding gloves, du rag, metal working gloves, safety glasses, and a duffle bag to throw it all in. I already have most of that already but it was all from harbor freight so I will have some stuff that is a bit nicer now. They also got me into a 125 bottle for $190 filled which is about $100 less than other places I had called. I really appreciate everyone’s advice on this, now I just need to go pick up some more scrap metal to get some more practice in. Thanks everyone!

12-21-2011 04:02 PM

K72Nova

Well I'm taking all this info and heading down to the welding supply shop to see what I can get into. I appreciate all the info and advice!

12-21-2011 02:45 PM

BigEd36

Quote:

Originally Posted by K72Nova

Man now the guy at my local US Weld told me about a Lincoln powermig 180 duel. He told me they have it for $929 with either a $100 rebate or a $250 welding package that comes with welding jacket, gloves, auto dark helmet, and a few other goodies. Hate to get the ball rolling again but does anyone know anything about the Lincoln?

While I'm partial to Hobart and Miller mig welders I will say that Lincoln also makes a quality product. I have all three in my garage now, a Lincoln 180 amp AC buzzbox that's 43+ years old and still going strong, a Hobart Handler 120 that's somewhere around 20 years old, and a Millermatic 210 (the "baby" of the bunch that's only 4-5 years old). They've all been great machines, and that's why Miller, Hobart, and Lincoln are "the big 3" in welders. A plus for Lincoln welders is if you live close to a Home Depot, as they sell Lincoln welders and stock consumables for them. By the same token, if you live close to a Tractor Supply or Rural King they handle Hobart welders and stock consumables for Hobart and Miller migs.

The Lincoln Power Mig 180 Dual is a multi-voltage setup like the Handler 210 and the Millermatic 211, except it is limited to 180 amps instead of 210. You won't find anything working on cars, and probably anything else you would want to weld around home, that you couldn't do with a 180 amp mig. It's also "spool gun ready", that is, you just unplug the mig gun and plug in the Lincoln spool gun if you ever want to weld any aluminum. The only thing I noticed in their info that I didn't like was it comes with .025" and .035" contact tips, but no .030" tips. .030" is the size that these welders really do the best with. It's no big deal as tips are inexpensive.

Man now the guy at my local US Weld told me about a Lincoln powermig 180 duel. He told me they have it for $929 with either a $100 rebate or a $250 welding package that comes with welding jacket, gloves, auto dark helmet, and a few other goodies. Hate to get the ball rolling again but does anyone know anything about the Lincoln?

I have owned and used Lincolns from the little 110 unit to the big three phase power outfits to both gasoline and diesel machines, they were my choice from 1975 until I sold my shop and retired a few years ago. That little 110 Lincoln was purchased to do a particular job that was so remote is was not practical to access with a full size MIG but the little one could be carried to the location along with one of those tiny gas bottles that contained just enough gas to do the job. As a result that little 110 machine was carried around in my service truck tool box for several years and was used outdoors in rain, snow, mud, dust, etc and just generally abused far beyond what one should expect of a machine like that. It was always there and never let us down, still have it today with most of the paint beaten off and looking like a refugee from a scrap yard it still works just fine! Yeah I kind of like Lincoln!

12-21-2011 09:40 AM

MARTINSR

Quote:

Originally Posted by K72Nova

So I've been in the market for a mig welder and I've been trying to make up my mind on what to buy, I ran across the Hobart Handler 210MVP Mig earlier today and was wondering if anyone had thoughts on it? I have 220 in my shop but it's powering my air compressor right now and I don't want to switch back and forth between the two. I could run another 220 later I just don't want to right now which is why I like this design, I can run 110 now and if I do decide to run 220 I don't have to kick myself for only having a 110. I'm also open minded to Lincoln and Miller, I just noticed this is a decent price.

I was tired of switching back and forth so I simply changed to a four gang box and put the two there so both can be plugged in. I ran an extension cord to my welder to the other side of the shop and keep it rolled up there so I don't even have to go back to the corner to plug it in.

Brian

12-21-2011 09:30 AM

K72Nova

Man now the guy at my local US Weld told me about a Lincoln powermig 180 duel. He told me they have it for $929 with either a $100 rebate or a $250 welding package that comes with welding jacket, gloves, auto dark helmet, and a few other goodies. Hate to get the ball rolling again but does anyone know anything about the Lincoln?

12-21-2011 08:07 AM

TurboS10

I will add that with my little unit I can single-pass-weld 1/4" plate and it "bites" pretty deep even at that. I use 220vac.

12-21-2011 07:11 AM

matts37chev

Quote:

Originally Posted by K72Nova

Oops I meant $1000 locally for the miller. Anyway, I'm leaning towards the Hobart due to the positive reviews I'm hearing and the price difference, which will give me a little extra money to buy a 125cf cylinder which I still need to figure out where to buy one of those locally, I think Airgas has them but I don't know their pricing yet.

airgas is who I use

12-21-2011 06:33 AM

K72Nova

Oops I meant $1000 locally for the miller. Anyway, I'm leaning towards the Hobart due to the positive reviews I'm hearing and the price difference, which will give me a little extra money to buy a 125cf cylinder which I still need to figure out where to buy one of those locally, I think Airgas has them but I don't know their pricing yet.

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